Bavaria in the USA

“Munich without the passport.” That was the sign in front of a restaurant in Leavenworth and it just about describes this city, which has been modeled after a Bavarian Village.

With three-digit temps and a heat advisory forecasted for tomorrow through the 31st, we took advantage of a “cooler” day to explore Leavenworth.

The city didn’t always have a Bavarian ambiance. Before the early 1960s, it was a logging and sawmill town. But after it went into decline with the loss of its railway and timber industries, it had to reinvent itself.

Why recreate a German village? Because the scenery was thought to be reminiscent of the Bavarian countryside. We’ve spent time in Bavaria and would agree that the landscape is indeed reminiscent of that area of Germany.

With strict building codes, they have done a good job of creating the right ambiance. Buildings are not unlike ones we’ve seen in Germany … many of them decorated with beautiful murals that I photographed today.Read more